This application takes priority from co-pending European Community Plant Protection Application No. 2000/0716, filed May 2, 2000, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety.
This new variety of strawberry, named xe2x80x98Cal Giant 4,xe2x80x99 resulted from a cross performed in 1994 between the proprietary plant designated xe2x80x98A41xe2x80x99 and the University of California variety xe2x80x98Seascapexe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,614). The proprietary plant xe2x80x98A41xe2x80x99 was maintained exclusively for breeding purposes and was not released to growers and has not been the subject of an application for a plant patent in the United States.
xe2x80x98Cal Giant 4xe2x80x99 was first selected as a seedling variety at the California Giant, Inc. Watsonville, Calif. breeding test plot in 1996 and has been propagated asexually by runners at Malin, Oreg. U.S. (42xc2x0 N, 121.4xc2x0 W). It was originally designated xe2x80x9849E31.xe2x80x99 Asexual propagules from this original source have been placed in test plots in the fruiting areas of Oxnard, Santa Maria, and Watsonville, Calif., U.S. This propagation and testing has demonstrated that the combination of traits disclosed herein which characterize propagules of xe2x80x98Cal Giant 4xe2x80x99 are fixed and retained true to type through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
xe2x80x98Cal Giant 4xe2x80x99 is a new and distinct strawberry variety characteristically different from any other strawberry variety. Among the characteristics that distinguish xe2x80x98Cal Giant 4xe2x80x99 are a combination of traits which include a strong everbearing tendency, very strong natural resistance to many pests and foliar, fruit and root diseases, and the production of a high number of very sweet fruit that are more uniformly sized and shaped than other commercial varieties. In addition, xe2x80x98Cal Giant 4xe2x80x99 produces equivalent yields of exceptionally high quality fruit in both fumigated and non-fumigated conditions. Fruit of xe2x80x98Cal Giant 4xe2x80x99 pollinates exceptionally well in inclement weather, allowing for continued production of well shaped, marketable fruit following cold, moist conditions.